A Berry Big Deal: Merging traits for taste and toughness

New research is exploring combining the best traits of traditional table grapes with muscadines to create disease-resistant, flavorful grapes consumers will love.  In this episode of Food, Farms & Forests, Dr. Margaret Worthington, associate professor of horticulture and researcher at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, explains the project she co-leads to create a new grape variety. Worthington and an interdisciplinary team of 31 researchers from 12 institutions across the country are working on a research project to develop hybrids between two very different types of grapes: the classic table grape, Vitis vinifera, and the southeastern native, Muscadinia rotundifolia, better known as muscadine. Muscadines have exceptional disease resistance and thrive in the Southeastern U.S., while Vitis vinifera grapes have the textures and flavors consumers love. Worthington shares some history of efforts that began over a century ago to bring together the best traits from both grape types. She explains that one unique aspect of this research is the unprecedented level of collaboration between the traditional Vitis vinifera and muscadine grape breeding communities. Worthington—who grew up enjoying the fruit in North Carolina—hopes to elevate muscadines to a nationwide “fifth berry category,” joining the ranks of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. This project is funded by a $7 million USDA-NIFA grant. Related Links:Vitis Vinifera and Muscadines: Grape Breeders Seek the Best of Both Grapes USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s Plant Disease Action Plan for 2022-2026 USDA Invests Nearly $121M in Specialty Crops Research and Organic Agriculture ProductionThe Vitis x Muscadinia project is supported by the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, USDA-NIFA project award no. 2024-51181-43236.